


Gone

by GentleHum



Category: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Gen, Melancholy, Robot Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 13:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6081633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GentleHum/pseuds/GentleHum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Joel left and before Mike arrived, what did Crow do besides panic?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gone

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to FeelingCreature and NoShayminTrying, for their wonderful depictions of the relationship between Joel and Crow.

Crow T. Robot didn't feel good. It had nothing to do with the 23 Mallo Cups he'd eaten a few minutes ago. No, finishing off Joel's hidden stash wouldn't explain the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach, or where his stomach would be if he had one.

Crow was scared. He hadn't been this scared since shortly after his creation, when he discovered that Joel wouldn't really ever disassemble him, that humans sometimes jokingly threatened harm to the people (or robots) they loved. Because despite his protests to the contrary on numerous occasions, Joel was his father. Joel created him, and taught him, and gave him tune-ups and baths and bedtime stories and time-outs and waffles (maybe too many waffles, sometimes) and Patrick Swayze movies. Joel listened to his screenplay ideas and sang songs with him and did those silly skits and didn't laugh too much about Kim Cattrell or Estelle Winwood and never ever mentioned that dream about Tom Servo as a candy striper again. And Timmy...Joel had saved Tom and him from Timmy and afterward didn't even yell much at Crow, just held him tight and told him he knew Crow didn't bring a dark specter on board on purpose but if he ever wanted somebody to talk to Joel would always be there. “I'd never leave you,” Joel said that night. “It's all for one and one for all; that's the Robinson way.” Then, as a special treat, Joel let him sleep with him, snuggly and warm and breathing softly until Crow knew everything was going to be OK.

Joel was gone. Joel couldn't come back. Maybe Joel wouldn't want to come back, all the stories he told about Earth and the way sometimes Crow caught him staring at it out the window, a sad little frown on his face. All that was left of Joel was a nice plaque with a stupid quote from a bad movie (Joel's opinion of good and bad movies was somewhat warped after so many experiments) and a bunch of cut-off jumpsuits. And Crow's memories. He wasn't going to think about the memories right now, no way.

Crow got up and walked to Joel's room. He was glad he didn't run into Tom or Gypsy or Cambot. He didn't want to have to explain what he was doing going into Joel's room, opening his closet, and taking out the old tan jumpsuit Joel wore when he was building the 'bots, when it was just Joel and Cambot and Gypsy who couldn't quite speak yet and him, Crow. He didn't want to explain why he was curled up on Joel's bed, wrapped in a spindly little ball around the jumpsuit that still smelled a bit of WD-40 and RAM chips...and Joel.

Even though Gypsy had apologized and explained that she sent Joel away because Dr. Forrester and Frank were planning to kill him, Crow was mad at her, because it wasn't like Dr. Forrester could even kill Frank and keep him killed for any length of time and she knew that. He was mad at Servo for being Servo. He was mad at Joel for lying and leaving him behind after he promised he wouldn't. Even though it wasn't Joel's fault he was still mad at him.

Crow was mad at himself, too, for caring so much, and for wishing for things he couldn't have anymore, and for having them in the first place so he would have to know how much it hurt to lose them. Joel had taught him how to be human and stuff the best he could. “Be strong and true. I love you.” But Crow wasn't strong, not really, and after he finished panicking, the fear set in. Tom Servo said the scientists would send up a new guy. What if he was mean? What if he didn't like them? What if he didn't like singing and dressing up and making fun of the bad movies? What if he didn't know anything about robots and how to adjust his spasmotic crofiscator just right? What if Crow never got held or hugged or cuddled anymore? What if...what if no one would love him again now that Joel couldn't?

Crow shuddered slightly, tightened his grip on the tan fabric, and waited for his future to begin.


End file.
